On their way to Verdanturf Town, Ash and his friends were once again ambushed by Team Rocket. Though they managed to drive the trio away with ease, the battle had some unexpected consequences—May's Skitty accidentally inhaled smoke from Torkoal's Flamethrower, injuring its throat and leaving it unable to meow.
Worried, the group made a quick detour to the nearest town, Twinleaf Town. Though there wasn't a Pokémon Center nearby, they found a local Pokémon Clinic, where a kind female doctor named Dr. Abby helped them.
Dr. Abby gave Skitty a soothing throat massage using her specialized techniques, and it quickly began to recover. Ash and the others were amazed by her skill. As it turned out, Dr. Abby wasn't just a regular Pokémon caregiver—she was once a Grand Festival Champion, a top Coordinator in her prime. Her partner was a graceful Delcatty, the evolved form of Skitty.
May and Dr. Abby immediately bonded. Abby taught May a great deal about Pokémon Contests and even had her Delcatty teach Skitty one of her signature appeal moves: playing with a ball using Double Slap to build rhythm and momentum. Later, Delcatty and Skitty worked together to defeat Team Rocket again—and thanks to the experience, Skitty even learned Blizzard.
Having regained her confidence, May decided she'd put everything Abby taught her to the test at the upcoming Verdanturf Town Pokémon Contest. Meanwhile, Ash had his own plans—he'd be entering the Contest too!
The group finally arrived in Verdanturf Town, where the Pokémon Contest was scheduled to begin the very next day.
At the Pokémon Center, they were surprised to see a familiar face—Drew—standing by the counter, looking unusually anxious.
May approached him with excitement, "Hey, Drew! So you're here too? Looks like we'll finally get to settle our score at this Contest!"
Drew turned to face them, trying to maintain his usual cool demeanor, but his expression was somber. "Yeah, I came to enter… but I might have to withdraw."
He nodded toward the nearby bed, where his Roselia was resting, covered in bandages.
"What happened?!" May asked, clearly shocked to see Roselia in such bad shape.
"I battled someone earlier," Drew said grimly. "A Coordinator wearing a black mask. They call him the Phantom Coordinator. Be careful—he's not your average Contest participant."
With that warning, Drew left the Center in frustration.
May watched him go, her excitement turning into concern. "Drew…"
Ash shook his head. "If he really gives up over one setback, he still has a lot to learn. He must have more than just Roselia on his team. He should at least try with a backup."
May clenched her fists. "Then I'll make it my goal to defeat that Phantom guy—for Roselia!"
Later, the group headed to a nearby park to begin practicing their performances for the Contest.
"Okay, Skitty, it's showtime!" May threw her Poké Ball into the air, and her cheerful Skitty landed on the field, spinning playfully on its tail. "Let's work hard together tomorrow!"
Skitty let out a proud "Meow~!" and twirled happily.
Meanwhile, Ash was also prepping. "I'm going with Jigglypuff for this one!" he declared, releasing his pink partner. "Jigglypuff, I'm counting on you!"
"Pudding~!" Jigglypuff sang excitedly.
As Ash and May focused on training, a sudden gust of wind swept through the park, blowing leaves and dust around. Out of the swirling wind emerged a mysterious figure dressed in a black cloak, top hat, and a white mask resembling Dusclops.
"I ask you!" the masked figure declared, striking a dramatic pose. "Are you Coordinators competing in the Verdanturf Contest?!"
"It's him!" May gasped. "The Phantom Coordinator!"
"Yes!" the masked man shouted. "I am the Phantom Coordinator! And I challenge you to a battle!"
Ash stepped forward calmly. "I accept. Let's go, Jigglypuff!"
Brock quickly took the role of referee, setting the stage for a five-minute Contest Battle, using standard Pokémon Contest rules.
"Go, Dusclops!" the Phantom called out, tossing his Poké Ball.
[Dusclops — Superior Mid-Stage]
"Alright, Jigglypuff, Dazzling Gleam!" Ash commanded.
"Pudding~!" Jigglypuff spun with elegance and unleashed a burst of radiant pink light.
The powerful Fairy-type move struck Dusclops directly, and with a faint groan, the Ghost-type fell to the ground—knocked out in a single hit.
"What?!" the Phantom gasped beneath his mask. "Dusclops, return!"
Before anyone could say a word, a sleek black car sped into the park and came to a screeching halt. The Phantom quickly fled the scene, vanishing into the nearby woods.
The car stopped in front of Ash and the others, and a woman dressed in over-the-top designer clothing stepped out.
"Wait!" she called, chasing into the trees. But she returned a few minutes later, holding a pen in her hand.
She stormed over to Ash and grabbed him by the shoulders. "What did you do to my darling Timmy?!"
"Timmy?" May blinked in confusion. "Wait—are you saying he's the Phantom?"
The woman sighed. "Yes! My son, Timmy Grimm, has been sneaking out, missing lessons and tutoring! I hired a detective and found out the Phantom keeps showing up wherever Timmy goes! So of course, I concluded that he's been manipulated by some masked rogue!"
Ash, Brock, and May all looked at each other. Ash thought silently, Or maybe… Timmy is the Phantom?
"Please!" the woman pleaded. "Help me uncover this masked villain's identity! I'm prepared to reward you generously!"
Brock stepped forward politely. "We'll help you—but not for any reward. We'll do it because we care about Timmy."
Ash and May nodded in agreement.
The woman introduced herself formally. "I'm Mrs. Grimm. Come with me. We'll head back to my estate."
Ash and his friends followed her into the luxurious car, heading toward the Grimm family villa—a massive mansion that stunned them the moment they saw it.
To be continued...